If we decided to join cruise excursion when we were in Phuket, but in Penang, we're decided to do walking tour by ourselves. We arrived around 8 AM, the staff didn't tell us exactly where we need to wait to disembark in Penang. We asked around and decided to went down at level 4. It was already packed with tourist, the elder European tourist who ready to go around in Penang. As usual, they will scan or cruise card before they allow us to go inside the city. In Penang, Costa Victoria docked into the port, Swettenham Pier to be exact, so you can walked straight into the land, no more boat. I suggest you to take the Penang City Brochure with map on it, if you want to go around by walking like us. We were given 5 hours before the cruise sailed to Singapore. First Stop is Pinang Peranakan Mansion, took about 5 - 10 minutes walking from Port. When we arrived, the cruise excursion tour also just arrived. So, we just join them inside museum tour. Some people look at us funny since we heard it free, but hey, we were from the same cruise. After the tour, they left the museum, while us still went around to see the private jewelry exhibition, which we found out was restricted to the tour members (interesting!) Peranakan in Malaysia are chinese people who adapt Melayu and British tradition, while they lived from generation to generation in Malaysia, made their culture are unique and different. In Indonesia, the same thing happened, but we adapt differently according where we lived. Like my family who lived in Java, adapt Javanese Culture. I love it how they still manage the old house, completed with the inside furniture to clothes. It's also Unesco World Heritage Site. When we were inside Peranakan Mansion, rain came pouring heavy. When it's stopped raining, we decided to walk to our next stop, the famous Khoo Kongsi, another UNESCO World Heritage. Khoo Kongsi is actually the clan headquarter for surname Khoo or Qiu 邱, which possibly the largest clan in Penang. But unlucky for us, when we went there the temple was renovated, so we couldn't enjoy the beauty of the building. The interesting part of Khoo Kong Si, they really preserve and proud their big family members. In it, the genealogy, origin and history of Khoo Clan from their ancestral village in China to the present establishment today. In one of the room, they show each member achievements. In Khoo Kong Si, I found out that not just clan Khoo who build headquarter, there are many surname clan in Penang. Not far from it, on the map, there are my surname clan, Tan Kong Si. We're decided to walk there, which is really excite me. I love my surname Chen or 陈. Saw Tan Kong Si, I knew then, why Khoo Kong Si is the biggest and luxurious surname clan in Penang. One of the interesting things in Georgetown, Penang, by walking around the city, you can discover various artwork and graffiti from famous and local artist in Penang. You can see it scattered around the town, not just in busiest road, you could find it in narrow street or in the back of building. One of the popular art-street I found is the two girls riding bicycle, which people were queue to take the pictures. Time to go back to our cruise ship. While we strolled the road back to the port, we were pretty hungry from walking, my friend decided to stop into one of local food court, the place was still empty but one of the stall already packed with locals who wanted to eat brunch. When my friend heard they spoke hokkian, she talk and haggle the foods like local does. We're ended up with a plate full of pork local delicacies, it was pretty cheap, but i forgot the exact price. Back to Costa Victoria, because we sailed back to Singapore. Bye Georgetown, bye Penang, it was lovely 4 hours. Oh yeah, if you want to stroll around the city like we did, don't forget to bring umbrella. It was raining throughout 4 hours we were in the city.
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